Bandwidth, wired or wireless, was originally seen as a ‘commons’. Through market-driven regulation it has been made into an object of consumption by the creation of artificial scarcity and asymmetric models of access. The discussion on open networks, organised by m-cult and pixelACHE, compares experiences of civic and DIY network initiatives which aim to reclaim bandwidth as a shared resource. The aim is to open the black box of bandwidth and to place it in a political, social and cultural context.

Discussants:
Armin Medosch is a writer / artist who has engaged with and researched open wireless initiatives in London and Vienna. http://theoriebild.ung.at/view/Main/FreeWavelength

Petri Krohn is an activist engineer who has developed fiber optic community networking in the Helsinki area. www.helsinkiopen.net

Moderator: Minna Tarkka is director of m-cult, currently involved in making space for public access media in Finland. www.publicaccess.fi